


Sticks and stones may break my bones, and so do collapsing buildings

by darwinwithadifference



Series: ScarletWidow fics [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Natasha Romanov Needs a Hug, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Protective Natasha Romanov, Serious Injuries, Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Steve Rogers Is a Good Bro, Wanda Maximoff & Natasha Romanov Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-28 11:15:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19392997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darwinwithadifference/pseuds/darwinwithadifference
Summary: There's a mission. Everyone gets hurt. Steve is the mom friend again.





	Sticks and stones may break my bones, and so do collapsing buildings

Steve was very grateful that Stark Industries had invested in top-of-the-line medical equipment for the Avengers compound; they were all going to need it after today.

The ‘simple’ takedown of one of HYDRA’s last bases – in Alaska, of all places; Steve guessed it was because there was literally no one around to notice – had become very complicated very quickly when the occupants had decided that all being blown up was worth taking four Avengers with them.

“Sam, how far out are you?” He asked through his comms.

“A minute. Can you get to the road?”

Steve glanced around to make sure they hadn’t been followed out into the snowy landscape. _Not that there’s anyone left to follow us._ It hadn’t been a good day for Captain America. “Yeah. Come on, Wanda.”

The Scarlet Witch nodded and followed him quietly. She’d taken a blow to the head among others and he was worried she had a concussion.

He felt like he did; his ears were still ringing from the explosions so he couldn’t imagine how Wanda and Natasha were feeling.

Okay, no, he knew how Natasha was feeling. She was pissed at him.

“Rogers, if you would put me down this would be a lot easier,” she snapped, right on cue.

Steve sighed inwardly. “Nat, you can’t walk.”

“I can,” she protested. “It’s not like I haven’t fractured a few bones before; I can handle the pain.”

“You’ll make yourself worse,” he replied calmly as the road came into sight. “Sam’s almost here.”

Wanda pointed upwards. Steve amended himself, “Sam _is_ here. Let’s just get inside the quinjet and then you can yell at me.”

As it turned out, Natasha opted to stay silent for almost the entire trip back to the compound, only speaking to check that Wanda was alright.

Steve had noticed that she’d become quite protective of the younger woman, but he liked the look of his nose as it currently was, so he hadn’t said anything to her about it.

Natasha was allowing Wanda to doze on her lap after she’d been ill several times on the trip, and was shaky enough that the Black Widow doubted her ability to stand upright on her own. She was nauseous, dizzy, unbalanced and dazed: textbook concussion. As for her own injuries, Natasha suspected that she’d fractured either her tibia or fibula (or both), but otherwise she just had the usual cuts and bruises.

Steve looked bad, too: a burn on his shoulder and a deep cut on his side where a bullet had grazed him. Sam looked about the same, with the addition of a black eye and the loss of functionality of his wings.

Medical was going to have a field day with them.

That evening, Steve knocked on Natasha’s door. The absence of the tip of a throwing knife through the door encouraged him to let himself in.

His fellow Avenger was lying on the couch near her window. There was a complicated brace on her lower left leg and a mug of tea in her hands.

“Hairline fractures in both bones of my lower leg. Shut up, Rogers,” she sighed.

He shook his head and eased himself down next to her. “Where’d the tea come from?”

“Vision. I didn’t want to freak him out by asking him to use the coffee machine,” she smiled a bit.

Steve chuckled. “He’ll figure it out.”

Natasha set the tea aside and crossed her arms. “What’s going on?”

“I’m checking on my teammates,” he replied. “Sam was getting tired of me asking him how he’s doing, and Wanda’s asleep, so that leaves you.”

“I’m honoured,” she said flatly. “I’ll be fine, even if not being able to move properly for a month is going to drive me insane.”

“I thought as much.” Steve reached to scratch his shoulder, before wincing and letting his hand fall back down. “It’s been a while since all of us have been hurt this badly.”

Natasha nodded. “I honestly didn’t think I was going to get out of that one.” Her memory supplied the sound of a building collapsing above her and a beam falling as she tripped, hitting her leg and sending her tumbling to the floor, fighting to stay conscious. Wanda had found her struggling to get up and they’d limped out of the dust and noise.

“Wanda ran off to find you as soon as we heard that blast,” Steve explained. “She’d just been hit from behind by a surviving HYDRA agent and gotten up to help me. I told her to get out.”

His friend gave a small smile again. Natasha never fully smiled; Steve didn’t think he’d ever seen her grin beyond a smirk and a hint of a smile every now and then. He continued, “She cares about you a lot.”

“I know. I care about her, too.” Natasha’s answer made him smile as well.

“What kind of care are we talking about, here?” Steve asked, only half joking. Nat had been the one to teach him the word ‘bi’ – he knew it resonated with both of them.

She pretend-kicked his uninjured shoulder with her uninjured leg. “Wanda’s the first female friend I’ve had since I was taught to ‘know better than to think anyone cares about you’.” The bitterness and slight quiver in her voice appeared as they did whenever she spoke about the Red Room. “Soviet childhoods make for quick trauma bonding.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Shut up, _Land of the Free._ ” Steve snorted at the nickname but let her continue. “She’s quiet and empathetic and she loves music. I don’t want our life to take those things from her. So I ask about her opinions and interests and answer her questions about America and your ridiculous pop culture. I think she’s trying to make up for hurting me during the whole Ultron mess, but I’d like to think that she likes to spend time with me.”

“I’m happy for you, Nat.” Steve took her hand and squeezed it for a moment. “She told me a while ago when we were training that she’s surprised you bother with her. All of us have too few real friends – it’s nice to see my teammates making friends, especially with each other.”

Natasha smiled back at him. “Thanks. Should we order some pizza and watch a movie? If I’m going to lie around and be in pain, I want to suffer with you guys.”

“Sure. Go get Wanda.” Steve helped her stand up and walk to the door.

Wanda’s room was dim when Natasha knocked and entered, but Wanda herself was awake and more coherent than she had been earlier.

“How is your leg?” She asked immediately when Natasha sat down on the bed next to her.

Natasha shrugged. “It hurts. Steve and Sam are in the living room – we’re going to eat pizza and complain together. Are you in?”

Wanda yawned. “Okay, but only if I get to use you as a pillow when I get tired.”

“Sure. How’s your balance?”

The younger woman slowly swung her legs off the bed and stood. “Good enough. Use each other as a crutch?”

She smiled. “I don’t know how else we’re getting down this hall. Come on, little witch.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I'm considering adding another chapter to this or doing a follow-up oneshot about Natasha being annoyed at everyone (except Wanda) because she can't do things for herself and having to actually talk to people because she can't escape. Please leave a comment if you think I should write it.


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